"The Olympic cluster in Sochi will be the first world class mountain sports centre in the new Russia."

Russian sports commentators and news reports have hailed Mr Putin's role as a key contributing factor to winning the bid.

The President says he regards the victory as a judgement of his country, and a recognition of its growing capability.

Political analyst Nikolai Petrov says it is certainly a political win for Mr Putin in the final months of his presidency.

"At the final stage of his second term it will be possible for him to show everybody, including the Russians first of all, a kind of recognition of his and Russia's achievements during his rule," he said.

Mr Putin has helped restore Russia's strength and reverse years of decline after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

For that he still enjoys a solid approval rating of around 75 per cent.